Seven Things To Do With Your Old iPhone

If you’re planning on buying the new iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C that Apple are expected to announce, you might be wondering what to do with your old iPhone. There are many ways to deal with an iPhone that you no longer need. Here are a few of our ideas.

Once you deactivate your cell phone service on your old iPhone, it still functions very well as an iPod touch – load it with music and apps and use it as a spare, or in situations where you wouldn’t want to bring your shiny new iPhone.

2. Hand It Down To Someone Else

Do you have a spouse, sibling, friend or relative that might enjoy your old iPhone? Consider handing it down to someone else who will use it and love it as you once did (or at least give them a good price and sell it to them).

3. Use It As An Alarm Clock / Bedstand Device

Your old makes an excellent alarm clock – maybe even better than your new iPhone! Why? Many alarm clocks require you to keep an alarm clock app open if you want a musical alarm. Also, using your old iPhone as a bedstand device makes it easier to keep your new iPhone in your pocket or on your person for all those late-night chats, instant messaging, or Twitter posting.

4. Keep It On Hand For Multiplayer Gaming

If you have guests in your home, or have a friend visiting, you won’t have to worry whether or not they have an iPhone – just let them use your old device and have a delightful multi-player gaming experience ready at all times!

5. Use It As A Spare Camera

The iPhone 4S has a pretty impressive camera – using your old iPhone 4 or 4S as a spare camera could make it easier to keep your new iPhone in your pocket. Not only that, but you can’t take a picture of your new iPhone 5 with your iPhone 5 - your old iPhone will take care of the details.

6. Keep It As A Backup

What if something happens to your new iPhone 5? Even if you have Apple’s new AppleCare+ with accident coverage, you might lose the use of your iPhone for a day or two waiting for a replacement to arrive. Keeping your old iPhone on hand can be a great way to prepare for the unexpected.

7. Sell Your iPhone

None of these options sound good to you? We’ve already prepared a document explaining how to prepare your iPhone for resale, now the rest is up to you – prepare a nice eBay listing or list it on a local classified site such as Craigslist – remember to be honest in your description, and include any accessories you don’t need anymore, as that can raise its value.

You can also trade your iPhone in through Gazelle or Nextworth. If you’d like to sell your old iPhone on a classified site like Craigslist, or on eBay, it’s best to list it as soon as possible. If you still need a phone, consider buying or borrowing a cheap phone to use until your new iPhone arrives, or wait until you have your new iPhone to sell your old one.

8. And Now For Something Completely Different!

The sky’s the limit here – with all of the apps available from the App Store, you can use your spare iPhone as a guitar tuner, a book reader, a permanent Twitter device, or almost anything else you can imagine. Or you can just leave it on your coffee table as a trendy and high tech living room decoration!

The iPhone is a remarkably useful device, and we’re sure you’ll find a creative or clever way to repurpose your former favorite.

J. Glenn Künzler

Glenn is Managing Editor at MacTrast, and has been using a Mac since he bought his first MacBook Pro in 2006. Now he's up to his neck in Apple, and owns an old iBook, a 2012 iMac with an extra Thunderbolt display for good measure, a 4th-generation iPad, an iPad mini, 2 iPhones, and a Mac Mini that lives at the neighbor's house. He lives in a small town in Utah, enjoys bacon more than you can possibly imagine, and is severely addicted to pie.